About Us

About United Way of the Greater Capital Region

Imagine what it's like for a family walking a financial tightrope to have to choose between food and rent. Picture a child who never had a book or crayon at home entering kindergarten unprepared, scared and behind his peers from day one. Or put yourself in the shoes of a senior citizen who wants to stay in her home but can't manage the maintenance. These are our friends, neighbors and coworkers. As members of a community, we are all connected. One person's suffering is our suffering too. And when one person succeeds, we all win.

Change is possible when we LIVE UNITED

United Way works to advance the common good in the Greater Capital Region by investing in the building blocks for a good life. These are the ability to meet BASIC NEEDS, the opportunity to receive an EDUCATION that leads to a job that pays well, a stable INCOME that provides long-term financial security, and resources to gain and maintain good HEALTH.

Our philosophy is that together, united, we accomplish more than any one person or single agency could alone. United Way understands that the challenges our community faces can seem overwhelming. But change is possible when we pool our dollars, our expertise and our effort, and focus on the issues that matter most, to help those who need it the most, in ways that achieve the greatest impact.

Uniting partners in a common mission

United Way brings donors, organizations and experts together to advance initiatives that tackle problems at their root. This increases our capacity to make lasting improvements in the social conditions that affect us all and prevents problems from occurring in the first place. United Way also strengthens our community through grant making to more than 80 carefully-reviewed programs that demonstrate the capacity to achieve measurable change in people’s lives and social conditions. United Way monitors each funded program to make sure donated dollars are used efficiently and effectively.

Helping donors magnify their impact

United Way occupies an important philanthropic niche and leadership role in the Greater Capital Region. We help donors and partners magnify and multiply their charitable efforts, helping them do more than could be accomplished with a single donation to a specific cause. When you support United Way, you are helping create a stronger, healthier Capital Region and a brighter future for all. That's because United Way:

Addresses the total picture of what it takes for a person to succeed.

Looks at the Capital Region’s entire landscape of human need and brings partners together to tackle our top local priorities.

Combines contributions from individuals and companies to create a larger pool of dollars for our community.

Has an approach that’s personal enough to change lives and powerful enough to improve community conditions for all.

United Way of the Greater Capital Region unites donors, volunteers and community organizations in a common mission to create more opportunities for more Capital Region residents. Our focus is on Basic Needs, Education, Income and Health. These are the building blocks for a good life and the cornerstones of a strong community. By combining contributions from individuals and organizations, United Way generates a larger pool of dollars and expertise to tackle the issues that matter most, to help those who need it the most, in ways that achieve the greatest impact. Our work is personal enough to change lives and powerful enough to improve conditions across the communities we serve in Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady and Schoharie counties. United Way invites people to come together, LIVE UNITED and create the change we want to see for our community.